An Urgent Message fromAkbelen Forest Resistance

Limak Holding is destroying a centuries-old forest, equivalent to 105 football stadiums in size, in Akbelen, Muğla, Turkey, to extract coal for its two coal-fired power plants.


On Monday, July 24th, at 05.30 am, they began logging in the forest, employing a disproportionate and violent use of force by the military forces against the defenders. Thousands of environmentalists are currently resisting these actions.


If you could help in spreading the word on an international level, we would deeply appreciate it.

Brief Information
The whole region of Milas should have been the symbol of fertile lands and olive groves. Instead, it has been poisoned by two coal power plants, and the livelihood of the villagers has been destroyed by coal mining activities for the last 40 years.

Till 2018, the coal company named Yeniköy Kemerköy Energy expanded and engulfed residents’ of 12 villages, houses, gardens, and memories. Aftermaths, in 2019, the villagers of İkizköy, have started to resist its expansion. In July 2021, they set up the Akbelen watch camp. And they said “Enough is enough” and put their bodies on the line to stop the logging. Since then, they had pushed back four logging attempts of the company. So the Akbelen forest had been a strong buffer to stop the coal expansion. But on Monday, July 24th, at 05.30 am, the company has begun logging in the forest, employing a disproportionate and violent use of force by the military forces against the defenders. Thousands of environmentalists are currently resisting these actions.


Throughout this period they resisted wildfires, harsh winter conditions, and the coal company’s attempts to lodge. This is the story of the protectors of Akbelen Forest and their fight against coal expansion and displacement.

Social Media Accounts and Website Address of the Resistance
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/ikizkoy.direniyor
Twitter : https://twitter.com/ikizkoydireniyo
Website : http://ikizkoydireniyor.net

You can find the latest photos from Resistance on social media accounts. Please feel free to use it to help spread the word.

Social Media Accounts and Website Address of Limak Holding


Website : https://www.limak.com.tr/homepage
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/limakenerji/
https://www.instagram.com/limaksirketlergrubu/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/limakenerji

Google Drive Folder for Additional Documents and Graphics


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dOaNN_kBepN5nT7n8iD17gFdVtEoaT-A?usp=sharing

  • Timeline and Maps in English
  • Environmental, Ecological, and Health Context of the Incident
  • Barcelona Campaign Graphics

Chronology of Events
November 2020: YK Energy obtained permission to expand its open pit mine by destroying 780 acres of Akbelen Forest. Local people filed a lawsuit to oppose the decision.
July 2021: Forestry clearance workers, operating on behalf of Turkish energy company YK Energy, fell 30 trees. Local people move into the forest to maintain a 24-7 vigil.
August 2021: Muğla 1st Administrative Court rules that no further clearance can take place until it has ruled on the lawsuit filed by locals.
October 2021: Turkey ratifies the UN Paris Climate Agreement
November 2022: A report carried out by court-appointed experts finds that ‘’the forest is suitable for coal mining”.
November 2022: The court lifts its decision to temporarily halt forest clearance, but YK Energy clearance crews don’t immediately move in.
24 July 2023: Following Erdoğan’s re-election as President in late May, Forestry clearance workers, operating on behalf of Turkish energy company YK Energy, accompanied by Turkish gendarmerie, move in to begin clear-cutting. Local people oppose them but are met with tear gas and batons. They call on the court to reinstate the temporary halt to forest clearance while their lawsuit is ruled upon.

Change.org Campaign URL
https://www.change.org/p/we-will-not-surrender-akbelen-forest-for-coal-mine-extension-akbelenorman%C4%B1n%C4%B1vermeyece%C4%9Fiz-tctarim-bekirpakdemirli-csbgovtr-murat-kurum-tcenerji-fatih-donmez

CAN Europe Report
https://caneurope.org/content/uploads/2019/08/The-Real-Costs-of-Coal-Mugla_Full-Report_Final.pdf
A Documentary with English Subtitles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phSFwJ0zNc8

Barcelona Campaign
(Campaign graphics are in google drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dOaNN_kBepN5nT7n8iD17gFdVtEoaT-A?usp=sharing )

Text Copy 1:
Limak Holding a Turkish construction company that built FC Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou Stadium is now destroying a centuries-old forest the size of 105 football stadiums in Akbelen Turkey. Thousands of environmentalists are resisting. What about you Barcelona? Will you score this goal against nature?
STOP LIMAK SAVE NATURE! #HeyBarcaStopLimakSaveNature #fcbarcelona #StopLimak #SaveNature #forestdestruction #stopforestdestruction #akbelenedokunma #akbelenormanınıvermeyeceğiz @fcbarcelona @spotify @johancruyff @vitor_roque9 @inigomartinez @ilkayguendogan @carles5puyol @ronaldinho @andreaschristensen3 @danialves @xavi @kunaguero @jlaportaoficial @inakipenya @o.dembele7 @leomessi @mterstegen1 @ivanrakitic @luissuarez9 @andresiniesta8 @jordialbaoficial @3gerardpique @cristiano @ardaturan

Text Copy 2:
Limak has been poisoning us with the Yeniköy/Kemerköy thermal power stations for years!
And now they slaughtered thousands of trees in the #AkbelenForest in 6 days.
Stop all business relations with Limak for its crimes against humanity. Right now!
@FCBarcelona
@JoanLaportaFCB

Hashtags for Social Media

#AkbeleneDokunma
#AkbelenOrmanınıVermeyeceğiz

Related News in English
Click here to view all related news about the resistance in English


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